Jamal Nasser

Jamal Nasser
Born	circa 1985
Died	March 16, 2003(2003-03-16) (aged 18)
Occupation	Serviceman
Known for	Death in U.S. custody at Gardez Fire Base, Afghanistan

Jamal Nasser (circa 1985 – March 16, 2003) was an Afghan serviceman who passed away while in the custody of U.S. forces at an American installation known as Gardez Fire Base in Afghanistan. In 2004, a year and a half after his demise, U.S. military officials attributed his death to a kidney infection. Subsequent inquiries demonstrated this explanation to be inaccurate, revealing a cover-up involving the Special Forces unit responsible for guarding Nasser. Despite an investigation lasting two years, no personnel faced formal charges; instead, only disciplinary actions for neglecting to report his death were imposed.

Senator Patrick Leahy's account

Senator Patrick Leahy stated:

A report from the Crimes of War Project exposed that Jamal Nasser’s passing in March 2003 was never communicated through the military hierarchy. Allegations suggest that after enduring multiple weeks of torture by U.S. soldiers, the Special Forces unit overseeing the facility neither conducted an inquiry nor reported the incident. This case serves as an example of deeper institutional problems. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command received information regarding Nasser's death but was unable to act due to insufficient details. Army investigator Christopher Coffey at Bagram air base remarked: "We are attempting to identify who managed the base. The unit present is unknown. No documentation exists. The reporting framework is fundamentally broken. Units rotate frequently without established SOPs [standard operating procedures] … and each operates independently."

Neimann Foundation for Journalism account

Craig Pyes, one of the two LA Times journalists who initially reported on the case, elaborated on their investigation in the Neiman Report, issued by the Neiman Foundation for Journalism. Pyes and fellow reporter Kevin Sack carried out an independent inquiry parallel to the Army's official probe, interviewing more than 1,000 sources.

• Their findings indicated that Jamal Nasser was detained by a unit identified as ODA 2021 at an American firebase located in Gardez.
• Nasser was apprehended alongside seven Afghan soldiers who claimed they were subjected to seventeen days of physical abuse.
• Among them was Nasser’s brother, who reportedly had a toenail forcibly removed during U.S. interrogation.
• The detainees endured exposure to glacial meltwater and were left outdoors overnight amid freezing conditions.